Chapter 8: Mr. Lu, Let’s Make A Deal

Room 616, Hongding Club.

Jiang Ye was pinned to the pool table, with bruises around his eyes and mouth, and a bleeding cut on his chin.

Cao Liang, holding a cigarette, leaned against the edge of the table, flicking ash onto Jiang Ye’s hand.

“I say, honor student, what have you decided?” Cao Liang pressed his tongue against his cheek, his tone playful as if teasing a cat. “You’re going to trade one of your fingers for this little stutterer as your desk mate—what a good deal. Why have you been thinking about it for so long?”

A girl in a white dress beside them desperately shook her head and said “no,” her tears falling in large drops from the corners of her eyes.

Jiang Ye clenched his teeth, glaring at Cao Liang with fierce eyes.

“Can’t bear to, huh?” Cao Liang grinned, pressing the cigarette butt onto the tip of Jiang Ye’s finger, savoring the anger on his face. “I thought you liked her so much! Can’t even part with a finger. Tsk.”

A red-haired boy beside them laughed: “Her hand needs to be kept for the competition, how could she bear it?”

Cao Liang tossed the cigarette away and walked toward the girl, lifting her chin with his long fingers.

“Really can’t bear it?” Cao Liang stroked the girl’s cheek. “Then the little stutterer is mine.”

“Let go!” Jiang Ye anxiously raised his eyes. “I—”

Before he could finish, the doorbell rang.

This club was under Cao Liang’s older brother’s domain. Everyone knew that he was here today to teach someone a lesson, and no one dared to be so tactless as to interrupt.

Cao Liang let go of his hand and glanced at the red-haired boy. “Go open the door, see who’s ruining the mood.”

The red-haired boy lazily walked to the door, and when it creaked open, a delicate face appeared.

The boy, his eyes swollen and puffy, brightened up and whistled, teasing, “Hey, beautiful, who are you looking for? Looking for Brother Liang or me?”

Behind Jiang Se, Huang Xu couldn’t hold back anymore, rushing in like the wind and pushing the red-haired boy aside.

“Looking for your sister, Zhang Dong! Clean up that mouth of yours!”

Jiang Se followed Huang Xu into the room, first glancing at Jiang Ye. Her gaze lingered on the burn marks on his fingers before she looked toward Cao Liang.

Cao Liang was slightly surprised, a gleam of admiration crossing his eyes. He raised an eyebrow and scanned Jiang Se from head to toe, his gaze lewd.

“Who are you?” He tilted his chin. “Do we know each other?”

Jiang Se replied, “I’m here to take my brother home.”

“Your brother?” Cao Liang took a puff of his cigarette, glancing at Jiang Ye. “Jiang Ye, huh? Oh, so the honor student’s sister is also quite exceptional. Alright, sis, how about you play a game of snooker with me? If you win, you can take him home.”

“And if I lose?” Jiang Se looked at Cao Liang.

“Well…” Cao Liang stared at Jiang Se intensely, his smile laced with suggestiveness. “If you lose… I won’t take Jiang Ye’s finger, but I’ll just have you spend one night with me instead.”

“Cao Liang, I’ll f*ing—”** Jiang Ye’s eyes were about to split with rage. He had just shouted a few words before someone covered his mouth. He struggled desperately, like a beast on the verge of collapse.

“Sure. If you win, I’ll spend the night with you.” Jiang Se seemed not to hear Jiang Ye’s screams, folding her arms with grace. Her voice remained calm, “If you lose, I’ll take my brother and that little girl over there with me. Also—”

Jiang Se’s gaze swept across Cao Liang’s right hand. “The marks you left on my brother’s hand, you’d better leave one for yourself as well.”

Outside the door, Han Xiao couldn’t help but curse under his breath, “What the f*.”**

Jiang Se was seriously daring!

Han Xiao had never interacted with this brat Cao Liang, but his older brother, Cao Xun, was an old acquaintance of Han Xiao. That guy was a snooker expert, and his younger brother was probably not far behind in skill.

But Jiang Se? Han Xiao had known her for so long and had never heard of her playing snooker. Compared to a reckless, spoiled brat like Cao Liang, she was most likely going to lose!

---

When Lu Huaiyan received the video call from Han Xiao, Jiang Se had already played half the snooker game.

The score was 71:37, with only 27 points left on the table, and Cao Liang had already surpassed the required points.

Jiang Se held the cue, calm and composed, showing no signs of panic even though she was trailing by 34 points.

Before the video call connected, Han Xiao had sent a long message.

Lu Huaiyan thought it was another trouble Han Xiao had caused. He barely glanced at the message and, as soon as the video connected, coldly muttered “speak,” before lazily raising his eyelids to look at the screen.

The camera was focused on the pool table, and just as the sound came through, Jiang Se turned around. Their gazes locked through the screen, and her eyes met his directly.

She calmly looked away and slowly walked around the table.

After seeming to calculate the angle for her next shot, she bent down, resting the cue against her finger, her almond eyes slightly narrowing, then efficiently made her shot.

“Thud”—The white ball hit the red ball, and the red ball rolled into the pocket.

Lu Huaiyan, having played snooker for more than ten years, immediately recognized that Jiang Se was no amateur from the way she held the cue, her posture, and the precision of her shot.

He raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise flashing in his dark eyes.

Han Xiao, seeing that Lu Huaiyan hadn’t hung up the video, got even more excited.

He eagerly put on his Bluetooth headset, covered his mouth, and lowered his voice to say, “Interesting, right, bro? This snooker game is freaking amazing! The guy playing with Jiang Se is from the Cao family. You saw the message I sent you, right? If… remember to call Cao Xun later and tell him to manage his brother.”

The background noise in the video wasn’t exactly quiet, with seven or eight ruffians crowding around the pool table making a ruckus. Han Xiao’s intentionally lowered voice mixed in with the noise, and Lu Huaiyan didn’t know if he hadn’t heard it clearly, but he didn’t respond, instead keeping his eyes on the girl in the screen.

Today, she had her hair tied in a bun, her bangs fluffy and hanging loosely, and a few strands of hair brushed against her neck. As she bent down, the strands fell against her collarbone, highlighting her milk-white skin.

Jiang Se had caught up 16 points in one go.

71:53.

Only 11 points were left on the table, and even if she cleared the table with one shot, she would still be 7 points behind.

But snooker was all about obstacles.

At this moment, Jiang Se timed her shot perfectly, sending the black ball into the pocket. She then took it out, placed it back in its original spot, and bent down again. This time, she gently placed the white ball near the basketball, creating an obstacle for Cao Liang.

Cao Liang whistled, “Nice!”

He acted nonchalantly, but when he bent down to play the shot, his eyes became serious. The angle Jiang Se had set was tricky, and it took Cao Liang three tries before he finally succeeded, giving Jiang Se an 11-point penalty.

With the remaining points on the table, Jiang Se managed to overtake him. She cleared the remaining colored balls with a single shot.

Every ball was pocketed cleanly and efficiently.

When the game ended, Han Xiao was stunned, his eyes wide, “This is f*ing amazing!”**

Cao Liang may have been a spoiled brat, but he kept his word.

He raised his chin toward Jiang Se and lazily smiled, “Sis, I admit defeat. You can take them.”

“Alright.” Jiang Se smiled back, “Got a cigarette?”

She was speaking to Han Xiao.

Han Xiao, enjoying the excitement, remembered the video call hadn’t been ended yet. Just as he was about to press the red button on the screen, the person on the other end seemed to predict his move and casually said, “Leave it on.”

Han Xiao froze for a second. Just as his hand was about to touch the screen, he quickly stopped and reached into his pocket, pulling out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter, tossing them to Jiang Se.

“Take them all, use as many as you want.”

Jiang Se said “Thank you,” pulled a cigarette from the pack, opened the lighter, and slid the wheel.

“Ssshh…” A faint blue flame reflected in her eyes.

Her pupils were darker than usual, and as the flame overlapped with her gaze, her eyes seemed like the serene, eerie moonlight submerged deep in the sea.

Just as everyone thought she was about to light the cigarette, she suddenly released her grip.

The flame in her eyes extinguished.

Jiang Se stuffed the cigarette back into the pack and said with a smile, “I never do illegal things. If you want to leave a burn mark like my brother’s, you’ll have to do it yourself. Of course, I don’t recommend you do that. An apology would settle this, no need for such extreme measures.”

Cao Liang, however, seemed to find her words amusing and laughed, his shoulders shaking.

“Apologize? Jiang Ye, does he deserve that?” He grabbed the pack of cigarettes, lit one for himself, and said, “This little pain doesn’t scare me.”

Jiang Se’s smile didn’t fade. “That’s really too bad.”

Her tone remained gentle and elegant, the same calm and warm demeanor as before, as though she was a gentle spring breeze. She looked harmless, yet when Cao Liang pressed the cigarette butt into his finger, her eyes didn’t blink.

The pain shot through Cao Liang’s middle finger, but he seemed oblivious to it, staring intently at Jiang Se, grinning as he teased her, “Sis, I love doing extreme things. You better watch over your brother. He still owes me a hand. I’ll come find him again one day to collect.”

Jiang Se didn’t even look at him, calmly responding, “Do as you wish.” Then, she turned her attention to the girl sitting on the sofa, her shoulder being held down by someone.

She walked over slowly and asked, “What’s your name?”

The young girl was beautiful, as delicate and fresh as a bamboo shoot after rain, her tear-streaked eyes filled with innocence. Everyone called her the “little stutterer,” and Jiang Se still didn’t know her real name.

The little girl moved her lips, her face still marked with fear, “Chen, Chen Li Yin.”

Jiang Se nodded slightly, smiling at Chen Li Yin as she said, “Can you stand up by yourself? Let’s leave this place.”

As the group exited the club, the rain began to fall again, a soft drizzle.

Han Xiao, having enjoyed the show, tossed his car keys in the air, smiling at Jiang Se. “Should I give you guys a ride home?”

Jiang Ye had injuries on his body, so Jiang Se didn’t refuse his offer. She nodded, “Thank you, I’ll treat you to a meal later.”

Han Xiao smiled, “No need to be polite. I had a great time tonight. But that Cao Liang is from the Cao family in Pingcheng. You should keep an eye on your brother.”

Jiang Se glanced at Jiang Ye, giving a brief “Mm.”

The rain grew heavier.

When the car reached Liyuan Street, it couldn’t go any further. Han Xiao turned on the hazard lights and stopped the car at the intersection.

Jiang Se turned toward the passenger seat, handed Jiang Ye the umbrella, and said, “You go take care of your injuries first.”

Jiang Ye instinctively furrowed his brows.

He had a vague distrust of men from Beicheng, and this man in front of him was no exception—neither was the man he had encountered at the bar before.

The teenager hesitated, unwilling to get out of the car. Just as he was about to speak, he met Jiang Se’s pitch-black gaze, which silenced him. He wordlessly opened the car door and got out.

As soon as Jiang Ye left, Jiang Se turned to Han Xiao and said, “I want to call Mr. Lu.”

Han Xiao was surprised. “You don’t have my brother’s number?”

“I didn’t save it.”

“…What about WeChat?”

“Deleted it.”

“…”

Han Xiao let out a dry chuckle, “Seems like you’re really not familiar with my brother. No wonder you two were so awkward last time at the bar.”

He said this while unlocking his phone with his fingerprint. The screen was still on the chat with Lu Huaiyan, so he decided to make a video call and handed the phone to Jiang Se when it connected.

“Bro, Jiang Se needs to talk to you.”

After saying that, he quietly listened, eager to hear what Jiang Se would say to his brother.

However, the only thing that came through the speaker was four cold, indifferent words.

“Han Xiao, get out.”

Han Xiao: “?”

He looked out the window. “No, bro, it’s raining outside.”

Lu Huaiyan replied with a simple “Mm.”

“Take an umbrella.”

Han Xiao: “…”

After Han Xiao got out of the car, Lu Huaiyan leisurely leaned back against the seat and asked Jiang Se, “You want to ask me about Cao Liang?”

“If it’s convenient.” Jiang Se smiled politely. “Han Xiao said that Cao Liang is from the Cao family in Pingcheng, but I’ve never met him before.”

The sound of rain drizzled softly, with faint light streaming in through the car window.

On the screen, the girl’s small face, no bigger than a palm, was bathed in the dim light. Her eyes, looking at him through the phone, were pitch-black.

Cold.

Lu Huaiyan watched for a moment before asking, “If you had lost, would you have really spent the night with Cao Liang?”

Jiang Se hadn’t expected him to ask that.

Lu Huaiyan was never a particularly curious person.

She replied coolly, “If I lose, I must honor the bet, so I would have to. But the place would be of my choosing. He hurt my brother and forcibly detained a minor girl. I wouldn’t mind taking him to the police station to play a bit.”

Of course, that would be a last resort.

The club was clearly under the Cao family’s influence. Someone like Cao Liang, who acted recklessly, was protected by his family’s background, making calling the police practically useless.

Lu Huaiyan wasn’t surprised by her answer. With a hint of curiosity, he asked, “Aren’t you the one who wanted to leave a cigarette burn on Cao Liang? Why did you stop?”

Jiang Se responded calmly, “Didn’t I already say? I don’t do illegal things.”

Lu Huaiyan smiled.

Others might believe her words, but he could clearly see in her eyes that she genuinely wanted to act on it.

It felt like the first time he was really understanding her.

Lu Huaiyan lowered his eyelids, staring intently at the girl on the screen without speaking.

It wasn’t until the smile on Jiang Se’s lips faded slightly that he slowly said, “Cao Ying from Pingcheng is Cao Liang’s grandfather, his real grandfather. Because this grandson is always causing trouble, the old man rarely mentions him outside and never lets him attend the events in Beicheng, fearing he’d bring shame to the family.”

Cao Ying.

The chairman of the Cao Group, now retired, with his grandson Cao Xun taking over the operations of the company.

Cao Ying had been a powerful figure in Pingcheng during his youth. Later, he took advantage of the reforms of the time and successfully laundered his business, turning it into the most powerful group in Pingcheng.

Jiang Se frowned slightly. “Why is Cao Liang in Tongcheng?”

“Cao Liang only listens to his older brother, Cao Xun. Cao Ying couldn’t control him, so he sent him to Tongcheng, where Cao Xun could take charge. Cao Xun, just like Han Xiao, came to Tongcheng for the film city project.”

Jiang Se’s gaze tightened slightly. “Cao Xun?”

“Jiang Se.” As if seeing through her thoughts, Lu Huaiyan spoke slowly, “Do you know why my uncle insisted on sending me to Tongcheng? Because Cao Xun is even crazier than his younger brother. Han Xiao can’t handle him.”

The Han family couldn’t suppress the Cao family. Only Lu Huaiyan, representing the Lu family, could go to Tongcheng, ensuring the Han family could smoothly take control of the film city project.

When he said her name, “Jiang Se,” she instinctively paused.

The last time they met, things ended on a sour note.

Of course, Jiang Se didn’t think that what had happened that night would have stirred up even a fraction of anger in Lu Huaiyan.

He wasn’t the type to waste emotions on people he didn’t care about.

The few people who truly caught his attention, other than his mother, were Old Master Lu in Beicheng and Han Xiao, who was out there in the rain holding an umbrella and stamping his feet.

After thinking for a moment, she raised her eyes to look at Lu Huaiyan and said, “Mr. Lu, let’s talk business.”

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